The Wild Robot Movie Review (2024)

Common Sense Media Review

The Wild Robot Movie Review (1) By Sandie Angulo Chen , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 8+

Beautiful, heartwarming adaptation with moments of peril.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 8+?

Any Positive Content?

  • Violence & Scariness

    some

    Several animals die, most off camera and mostly due to predators (hawks, a fox, a bear, etc.) hunting for food—including a scene in which Fink casually knocks a fleeing crab into a pool of boiling "soup" water. One sacrifices himself for the greater good, and a couple are killed by accident, as when Brightbill's goose mother and egg siblings are destroyed after Roz crashes into a tree, leaving his egg orphaned (at one point she says she "terminated his family"). Tense moments involving characters falling from heights, explosions, a large/dangerous fire, an encounter between geese and a flying ship, and robots with weapons firing at fleeing geese and at all of the creatures on the island (many of whom fight back). When Roz arrives on the island, the animals are initially frightened; some eventually charge at her (like the bear) or gang up to strip her of her parts (the raccoons are particularly persistent). Fink the fox attempts to steal and eat an egg, but Roz stops him; he also gets quilled by a porcupine. At one point, a mother possum says that she's a "mother of seven," and then there's a scream off camera and she corrects herself to say "six" (though it's later confirmed that the baby possum is still alive). The little possums are obsessed with death and mention various ways to die (including sepsis, meningitis, and more) when they play dead. They also make morbid comments like "Death's proximity makes life burn brighter" or "We like your baby. Hope it doesn't die." Brightbill is bullied by geese who laugh at him for being different. Arguments.

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  • Language

    a little

    Occasional use of words including "dummy," "sucked," "freak show," "weirdo," "loser," "vermin," "jerk," "hate," "runt," "butt," "bovine excrement" (as euphemism for "bulls--t").

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  • Products & Purchases

    very little

    Nothing on-screen, but in addition to a tie-in edition of the book, there are branded toys, games, clothing, etc.

  • Positive Messages

    a lot

    Strong messages about what it means to be a mother/parent and the importance of teamwork, empathy, and perseverance. The story is a tribute to the power of found family, adoptive parents, and community building. It promotes tolerance and acceptance, even with those who don't look or act like you. It also has anti-bullying and nature-versus-technology themes. Plus, kindness is a survival skill, the heart is as important as the brain (or programming), and stories can help us process difficult/complicated things.

  • Positive Role Models

    a lot

    Roz is programmed to be efficient, reliable, and hardworking, but she also becomes kind, empathetic, and caring. She grows to love, support, and encourage Brightbill and the entire island community. Even though he's initially a wily predator, Fink develops into a dependable friend to Roz and second parent figure to Brightbill. Brightbill is curious, kind, and brave. Many other animals overcome fear and ignorance to embrace those who are different from what they are used to or expect.

  • Diverse Representations

    some

    Although the speaking characters are all robots and animals, the voice ensemble is diverse. Black actress Lupita Nyong'o stars as Roz, Latino actor Pedro Pascal plays Fink, and supporting characters are voiced by actors who are Asian American (Stephanie Hsu), Black (Ving Rhames), and over 65 (Rhames, Catherine O'Hara, Bill Nighy, and Mark Hammill). Brief background images of humans show people with a range of skin colors.

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  • Educational Value

    a little

    Teaches young audiences about animal behavior, habitats, food cycles, and more.

  • Parents Need to Know

    Parents need to know that The Wild Robot is the beautifully animated, heartwarming adaptation of Peter Brown's award-winning middle grade book. Part adventure story, part adoptive/found family drama, it follows the epic journey of brave robot ROZZUM, aka Roz (voiced by Lupita Nyong'o), who winds up on a forest island and must learn to communicate with the animal inhabitants and adapt to the occasionally harsh conditions. Environmental violence includes a couple of intense storms and a scary fire that breaks out after the island comes under attack. Predators occasionally have to hunt, kill, and eat other animals, but it's handled in a humorous way, as is the way that young possums make morbid comments and obsess about ways to (pretend to) die. Other sad or perilous moments involve the accidental death of a mother goose, a character sacrificing himself for the greater good, robots wielding and firing weapons, animals attacking a flying ship, dangerous falls, arguments, and a character being bullied for his differences. Language is mild overall, with infrequent use of "sucked," "weirdo," "freak show," "dummy," "butt," and other insults and mean-spirited comments, plus one use of "bovine excrement" as a euphemism for "bulls--t." Like the book it's based on, the movie's major themes focus on parenthood, found family, nature versus technology, teamwork, empathy, courage, and perseverance. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.

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The Wild Robot

Parent and Kid Reviews

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  • Parents say (55)
  • Kids say (43)

age 6+

Based on 55 parent reviews

E U. Parent of 5 and 14-year-old

September 28, 2024

age 5+

Finally, a good family movie in the theatres

It’s been such a long time since we looked forward to a movie as a family. Apparently the G rating is dead - studios don’t think it makes enough money. So we sit through one snarky, violent panda lego movie after another - or watch as studios rip apart our favorite peaceful characters (RIP Peter Rabbit and Ferdinand).Finally, something delightful! The 5 year old wasn’t scared, likes the book a bit better but enjoyed the introduction of the fox character. My wife and I enjoyed the nod to the tough times we have parenting, and overall felt it did the book proud. What a relief! I hope this happens again soon.

168d233a-7dc0-49dc-a898-cefb862f5afa Parent of 5-year-old

September 28, 2024

age 6+

a really nice film !

really enjoyed the movie, and our son (6year old) loved it but was a tiny bit scared at times, but was able to sit through it. a must see film !

See all 55 parent reviews

What's the Story?

THE WILD ROBOT is the animated adaptation of Peter Brown's award-winning 2016 middle grade novel about a shipwrecked robot, ROZZUM, aka Roz (voiced by Lupita Nyong'o), who powers up on an island ready to do her new owners' tasks. She learns to communicate with the animals on the island—who initially consider her a monster—and adopts a baby gosling she names Brightbill (Kit Connor) after accidentally destroying his mother's nest. With the help of a scrappy fox, Fink (Pedro Pascal), Roz makes caring for Brightbill (feeding him, teaching him to swim, and preparing him to make his first migration) her primary purpose. But being a mother is much more difficult than anything Roz's programming has prepared her for.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:

Parents say (55):

Kids say (43):

This visually dazzling, emotionally resonant adventure brings Brown's beloved book about parenthood and found family to life. Directed and co-written by Chris Sanders, the movie boasts stunning animation, an excellent voice cast led by the wonderful Nyong'o, and a lovely story that's sure to make both parents and kids teary and ready for a hug—as well as chuckle and grin at its many funny moments. Many family films are fun but fairly basic; not The Wild Robot. There's real emotional heft to this adaptation. Roz, Brightbill, and Fink each have robust character arcs as they learn about themselves, their places in the community, and their relationships with one another. In addition to Nyong'o's great work, O'Connor and Pascal stand out as young Brightbill and plucky Fink, and Catherine O'Hara is hilarious and wise as an older and more experienced mama possum who mentors Roz in her motherhood journey. Bill Nighy also adds sage-elder vibes as the head of the soon-to-migrate goose flock.

Composer Kris Bowers' score is fantastic and includes two catchy original songs from Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Maren Morris. Cinematographer Chris Stover (Trolls, How to Train Your Dragon) immerses audiences in the island's lush flora and fauna. Baby Brightbill is one of the cutest animals ever to appear on-screen, and the adventure sequences are propulsive but not overly scary for younger moviegoers. Sanders and Brown's screenplay should please the book's many fans: It stays true to the major themes and plot points, if not every single character or story detail. And while the plot is simple, there's so much to absorb during this lovely film—and to discuss after you watch. Everyone from elementary schoolers to parents about to launch their kids into adulthood will find something that resonates in The Wild Robot. It has the potential to become as treasured as another classic animated robot movie, The Iron Giant, and is a beautiful, must-see family film.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about which characters you consider to be role models in The Wild Robot. What character strengths do they demonstrate?

  • Do you think the movie has any messages about the role of technology in our lives? What does Roz have in common with AI? How is she different?

  • What does it mean for kindness to be a survival skill? How do other characters' kind acts make a difference to Roz, and how does Roz's kindness impact others on the island?

  • For those who've read the book: What differences did you notice? Why do you think the filmmakers made those changes?

  • The source book is the first in a series. Do you want to see another Wild Robot movie, or do you prefer that this remain a stand-alone version?

Movie Details

  • In theaters: September 27, 2024
  • On DVD or streaming: October 15, 2024
  • Cast: Lupita Nyong'o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor
  • Director: Chris Sanders
  • Inclusion Information: Female actors, Black actors, Latino actors, Bisexual actors
  • Studio: Universal Pictures
  • Genre: Family and Kids
  • Topics: Adventures, Book Characters, Friendship, Robots, Science and Nature, Wild Animals
  • Character Strengths: Courage, Empathy, Perseverance, Teamwork
  • Run time: 101 minutes
  • MPAA rating: PG
  • MPAA explanation: action/peril and thematic elements
  • Award: Common Sense Selection
  • Last updated: October 24, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by

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The Wild Robot Movie Review (2024)

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